Indiana University of Pennsylvania will celebrate Constitution Day on September 15 with two events free and open to the community.
Constitution Day commemorates the September 17, 1787, signing of the US Constitution, which celebrates its 238th anniversary this year.
Constitution Day events at IUP will begin with the traditional public reading of the Constitution by members of the IUP community on September 15 from noon to 1:15 p.m. in front of Stapleton Library, facing the Oak Grove.
IUP Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lara Luetkehans will begin the event with a reading of the Constitution’s Preamble.
This is the seventeenth year that IUP has hosted a public reading of the Constitution.
As in past public readings, the first 100 participants will receive a special “We the People at IUP” T-shirt, a pocket-sized copy of the Constitution, and a star-shaped cookie. The opportunity to be a reader is open to all.
In the case of inclement weather, the public reading will take place in the lobby of Jane E. Leonard Hall.
At 6:00 p.m. on September 15, the intentions of the authors of the US Constitution will be explored with “A Chat with the Father of the Constitution” in Elkin Hall’s Great Room.
When the Constitution was written in 1787, Thomas Jefferson said that he didn’t expect it to last more than 20 years. At 238 years old, the US Constitution is the oldest continuous constitution in the world.
Constitution author James Madison, portrayed by history faculty member Joe Mannard from the IUP Department of History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies, will discuss the work he and the founders did at the Constitutional Convention. Refreshments will be served.
“I know the Constitution doesn’t always sound exciting at first glance,” said Gwen Torges, political science professor and coordinator of IUP’s Constitution Day activities. “But it’s our rulebook for government, and once students start exploring how it actually works, it comes alive. My role is to help guide that exploration, but they bring their own insights and questions—and I learn from them as much as they learn from me. That back-and-forth is what makes it meaningful.
“What excites me about Constitution Day is that it’s not just about memorizing history—it’s about engaging with the choices we face right now,” Torges said. “Students are the generation that will decide whether the Constitution still works for us as written, or whether it needs to be reimagined to meet the challenges of today. I feel privileged to be part of those conversations with them.”
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025 and through the Impact 150 comprehensive campaign, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking to its next 150 years of student success, innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.